WATCH Defence Minister Jason Kenney LIVE here at 1 pm ETCBC News has learned that Defence Minister Jason Kenney will announce today a plan for Quebec’s Davie shipyard to retrofit a commercial cargo ship to serve as a temporary naval supply ship.CBCNews.ca and CBC News Network will livestream his announcement at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa starting at 1 p.m. ET.

Davie shipyard is located in Levis, Que., the riding of Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney

UPDATE: DND Posted the Press release early. These are the Key Parts:

The earlier than anticipated retirement of the Protecteur-class ships has resulted in an unexpected loss of both capacity and capability for the RCN during this transition to the future fleet. The Government of Canada will enter into discussions with Chantier Davie to see if arrangements can be made for an interim ship that provides a solution at a cost, time, and level of capability acceptable to Canada and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).

Interim Auxiliary Oil Replenishment Capability

The Government will enter into preliminary discussions with Chantier Davie Canada Inc. to determine if it can provide an interim supply ship at a cost, time, and level of capability acceptable to Canada and the Royal Canadian Navy. Should the Government of Canada decide to pursue a provision of service contract agreement, it would provide a required interim ship to bridge the gap until the first JSS is delivered.The provision of service contract agreement would be for a commercial ship to be refitted for military use. An interim supply ship would provide a more modest capability and would not conduct full-spectrum military operations in high-threat environments. The Full release:

The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is in the midst of the most intensive and comprehensive period of fleet modernization and renewal in its peacetime history, touching upon all elements of the fleet. This period of transition includes the modernization of its 12 Halifax-class frigates, the retirement of two Protecteur-class replenishment ships and two Iroquois-class destroyers and the procurement of three new classes of ships, including the Joint Support Ships (JSS), the Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships and the Canadian Surface Combatants, as well as the integration of new maritime helicopters into fleet service.The earlier than anticipated retirement of the Protecteur-class ships has resulted in an unexpected loss of both capacity and capability for the RCN during this transition to the future fleet. The Government of Canada will enter into discussions with Chantier Davie to see if arrangements can be made for an interim ship that provides a solution at a cost, time, and level of capability acceptable to Canada and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).

Retirement of HMCS Protecteur and HMCS Preserver

On September 19, 2014, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, announced the retirement of the Navy’s legacy refueling fleet. HMCS Protecteur was an AOR ship based in Esquimalt, BC, and the lead ship of the Protecteur-class. Its sister ship, HMCS Preserver, was based in Halifax, NS.HMCS Protecteur was retired after sustaining serious damage in a fire in February 2014. An extensive assessment concluded that the ship was damaged beyond economical repair. Considering the relatively short service life remaining for HMCS Protecteur, which was scheduled to be retired in 2017, the cost to re-instate the ship to full operational capability did not represent the best use of public funds.HMCS Preserver was scheduled for retirement in 2016, but engineering surveys done in 2014 identified levels of corrosion that had degraded the structural integrity of the ship below acceptable limits. As a result, the cost to reinstate the ship to full operational capability also did not represent a responsible use of public funds.These unexpected circumstances have resulted in the urgent need for Canada to obtain refuelling capacity in the short term to bridge the gap until the first Joint Support Ship is delivered.

The future Joint Support Ships

The Joint Support Ship (JSS) project is designed to increase the range and endurance of the Canadian Armed Forces by enabling naval task groups to stay at sea for long periods without obtaining provisions from ashore. The Joint Support Ships will supply deployed Naval Task Groups with fuel, ammunition, spare parts, food and water. They will also provide an at-sea platform for maintenance and operation of helicopters, a limited sealift capability, and support to operations ashore.As the selected shipyard for non-combat vessels, Vancouver Shipyards will be responsible for the construction of both Joint Support Ships at their shipyard in North Vancouver, British Columbia.The two Queenston-class Joint Support Ships (JSS) will replace the Royal Canadian Navy’s Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment vessels. The new ships will provide core replenishment, sealift capabilities, and support to operations ashore. The Queenston-class will be capable of operating across a full spectrum of threat environments.The JSS are a critical component for achieving success in both international and domestic CAF missions. The ships constitute a vital and strategic national asset. The presence of replenishment ships increases the range and endurance of a Naval Task Group, permitting it to remain at sea for significant periods of time without going to shore for replenishment.

Interim Auxiliary Oil Replenishment Capability

The Government will enter into preliminary discussions with Chantier Davie Canada Inc. to determine if it can provide an interim supply ship at a cost, time, and level of capability acceptable to Canada and the Royal Canadian Navy. Should the Government of Canada decide to pursue a provision of service contract agreement, it would provide a required interim ship to bridge the gap until the first JSS is delivered.The provision of service contract agreement would be for a commercial ship to be refitted for military use. An interim supply ship would provide a more modest capability and would not conduct full-spectrum military operations in high-threat environments.

Reports are that the small cruise ship Saint Laurent is taking on water in a lock on the seaway. She was bound for Toronto.

Saint Laurent visited Halifax last week. The ship appears to be in the lock which suggests she bumped the side entering the lock.

More details to follow.

UPDATES:

Several injuries are reported. Photos on Twitter show the bow impaled by part of the lock. The lock has re portly been drained so the ship is sitting on the dry bottom of the lock.

UPDATE 06/19 0900:Michael Folsom@theshipwatcher has a Source on scene providing Photos. I have posted a few bellow for the benefit of non Twitter users. It appears that the Ship went to far forward in the lock, and struck the ledge that the upper lock gate sits on.

Update 06/20:

Group Ocean tugs are on route and last noted near Montreal. Presumably they will pull the boat out of the lock. Seaway rraffic is backing up in both directions due to the closure.

Reports are that a Canadian river pilot was aboard, and that the Saint Laurent suddenly accelerated when the auto pilot was disengaged.

The size of the impact dent suggests she had some speed when she hit the lock, which would be abnormal for entering a lock.

The Container Ship Ningbo Express made her first visit to Halifax on Tuesday, Sailing yesterday over the noon hour. She was announced as one of the vessels on the G6 rotation, but had not prviously made an Appearance.

Built in 2002 as Hong Kong Express, She is owned by Hapag Lloyd, and took her current name in 2012.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) today released its investigation report (M14A0051) into the 14 March 2014 flooding, grounding, and subsequent evacuation of the bulk carrier John I off the southwest coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. There were no injuries to the 23 crew members.

We covered the grounding and tow in a couple of posts as events unfolded.

The John I entered ice-covered waters off the southwest coast of Newfoundland on its way to Montreal, Quebec, from Las Palmas, Spain. After the engine cooling water temperature began to rise, the crew opened the sea water strainer housing and found that the strainer was plugged. As the crew began removing ice and slush from the strainer, water began to overflow from the open strainer housing. When the crew attempted to close the leaking sea chest valve to stop the flow of water, its operating mechanism failed. Sea water began to enter the vessel in an uncontrolled manner, overflowing into the engine room. The master then ordered the vessel to be blacked out, causing it to drift. As the vessel drifted towards the shore, commercial towing assistance was requested, but delayed due to the weather. Upon its arrival on scene, the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Earl Grey offered to tow the John I away from the shore. Further delays were encountered while the John I’s master conferred with the vessel’s managing company, the CCG and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC). When the master finally accepted the tow, the first attempt to establish a tow line failed, and the vessel’s proximity to the shoals did not allow for completion of a second attempt. The John I then ran aground on the shoals. The crew members were evacuated by helicopter. The vessel’s hull sustained minor damage. The investigation found that warmed sea water from the engine cooling system was being partially discharged overboard and partially returned to the main sea water pump suction, rather than being recirculated to the low sea chest to prevent ice buildup. The strainer became plugged with ice and slush. The sea chest valve was prevented from fully closing, likely due to ice buildup, and the valve operating mechanism failed due to overstress when the crew forcibly attempted to close it, which led to the flooding. The JRCC did not have the authority to direct the master of the John I to accept the tow. Neither the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Environmental Response nor Transport Canada, both of which had the authority to direct the vessel to accept the tow, were actively involved at an earlier stage when it was clear that the time to take action was running out and the environmental risks posed by the vessel going aground were increasing. The delay in starting the towing operation was caused both by the master’s reluctance to accept the tow and by the way that authorities managed the situation. If all authorities responsible for dealing with an emergency are not involved in a timely and coordinated manner, there is a risk that response options will be limited and the situation will escalate

USCGC Campbell (WMEC-909) is a United States Coast Guard medium endurance cutter based at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. She arrived this morning for a visit, and tied up at the dockyard.

Qamutik Delivered what appears to be steel plate to Pier 9 over the weekend. She arrived Saturday evening, and sailed Sunday night. She sloted in between the disabled ships Vect Trader (Engine) and Harefield(rudder)